BrainFog is a condition I personally experienced when I was very ill and physically disabled, unable to work or do much else during ten years of my midlife. I came to realize that this frightening "disorientation" did not occur from "structural brain disease." Rather this fuzzy thinking and blurred perception of the physical world came from food and/or liquids I was ingesting.
BrainFog is different than dementia. Stedman's Medical Dictionary (27th edition) defines dementia as "the loss, usually progressive, of cognitive and intellectual functions, without impairment of perception or consciousness; caused by a variety of disorders....most commonly associated with structural disease.... characterized by disorientation, impaired memory, judgement, and intellect, and a shallow, labile affect." BrainFog feels much like BEing in a fog. Taking in sharply one's surrounding does not occur; rather all that is viewed is hazy as though a sheer curtain is between you and what your eyes are looking upon. Thoughts are not sharp but "foggy" and often come slowly as does word retrieval and/or space delineation. The latter is referred to a proprioception, defined in Stedman's as "A sense or perception, usually at a subconscious level, of movement and position of the body especially limbs, independent of vision."
Oriental medicine has long touted food as medicine and that idea is slowly creeping into the healthcare, not disease care, providers' tool box. I was so very fortunate early on during my disabling autoimmune dysfunction, to have a skilled Qi Master from Hangzhou, China, and his American R.N. wife come onto my path. I learned rudimentary Qi Gong and practiced every single day; and once a month partook of Qi Massage.
As my health began to return, my husband and I traveled to China with the above mentioned couple, Da-Jin and Charlotte Sun. While in Hangzhou, China Dwight and I ate at a restaurant where the entire menu revolved around healing, M-m-m healing, food: I was fascinated! With my many nutritional classes taken over 20 years not once was such a concept hinted at. Recently, however, this concept of "food as medicine" is emerging here in the United States and gaining grass roots momentum.
For those of us willing and opened minded to experiment and listen to our body, each of us become aware which foods or beverages do not agree with us and which ones nourish us deeply. The feedback may be increased BrainFog or less if we first cleanse our bodies then slowly add back foods or beverages we have previously habitually eaten.
As one cleanses one's body, one releases toxins that have been stored in the body often primarily in the liver. This release process often causes one to feel worse. Extreme fatigue, insomnia, rashes, sinus problems, aches all over the body, moodiness and/or headaches. This process of cleansing the body and returning it to maximal, healthy functioning state creates what is now known as a "healing crisis." This is created by those systems (skin, liver, respiratory system, entire digestive system) which keep the body in homeostasis or in bodily equilibrium. And the wash of toxins being released from the cells also affect the nerves and the brain, thus the aches, moodiness and headaches as well as increased BrainFog.
Choosing to experience an elimination diet is not for the faint of heart, so the saying goes. My very first exposure with cleansing my body resulted in a massive loss of fluid that my inflamed tissues had been holding on to. Within a week I dropped about 15#. One morning as I got out of bed, everything tilted and I felt what fluid was in my cardiovascular system settled in my legs. Since I am an R.N. I immediately recognized that I was hypovolemic, the state where there is not enough fluid to fill the cardiovascular system and gravity pulls the available fluid into the venous system of the legs. Luckily I had a health care provider who just happened to be an M.D. truly focused on overall health, not treating just symptoms as is typical in our Western disease care model. His wise counsel assisted me in navigating my healing crisis.
Processed foods, sugary foods, dairy and/or grains often cause inflammation within the body. This process can be insidious and often unrecognized. One believes that is how one's body feels eating the "American diet" and thinks that it is normal. Viewing food as medicine changes our outlook on what we ingest. Our bodies give us the feedback. I believe it is helpful for each of us, BrainFog or no, to trust our bodies and to listen to its feedback.
Food cravings can emerge with detoxification of the inflamed body, some of which are from nutrient deficiencies:
Breaking habits learned early in life and conscientiously addressing genetic influences takes not only commitment but courage. The pay off is a chance to awaken and see clearly. We have been provided, transient as it may be, a body which is a temple of sorts. Altering what we eat can become a delight and clear thinking is just one of the many benefits. Eating toxin free food (organic, biodynamic or however one wants to identify clean, real and nutrient dense food, primarily seasonal and locally grown) is the foundation, to my way of thinking, of food as medicine.Whether you are canine or human, rotation of foods is crucial to a body humming along. This can be accomplished by eating seasonally and locally produced foods, as much as possible.
For those of us who are experiencing or have experienced BrainFog, we can view this as an opportunity to change what we eat or drink, and to evolve as a human BEing by fully inhabiting our body, the physical temple with which we have been blessed in this life time. One can view food as medicine supporting one's awakening to a brighter, more vibrant life . . . simple not easy!
And during the ups and downs of this arduous process life long process of mindfully caring for our body, a sacred temple, "which is not really funny", may we
For those of us willing and opened minded to experiment and listen to our body, each of us become aware which foods or beverages do not agree with us and which ones nourish us deeply. The feedback may be increased BrainFog or less if we first cleanse our bodies then slowly add back foods or beverages we have previously habitually eaten.
As one cleanses one's body, one releases toxins that have been stored in the body often primarily in the liver. This release process often causes one to feel worse. Extreme fatigue, insomnia, rashes, sinus problems, aches all over the body, moodiness and/or headaches. This process of cleansing the body and returning it to maximal, healthy functioning state creates what is now known as a "healing crisis." This is created by those systems (skin, liver, respiratory system, entire digestive system) which keep the body in homeostasis or in bodily equilibrium. And the wash of toxins being released from the cells also affect the nerves and the brain, thus the aches, moodiness and headaches as well as increased BrainFog.
Choosing to experience an elimination diet is not for the faint of heart, so the saying goes. My very first exposure with cleansing my body resulted in a massive loss of fluid that my inflamed tissues had been holding on to. Within a week I dropped about 15#. One morning as I got out of bed, everything tilted and I felt what fluid was in my cardiovascular system settled in my legs. Since I am an R.N. I immediately recognized that I was hypovolemic, the state where there is not enough fluid to fill the cardiovascular system and gravity pulls the available fluid into the venous system of the legs. Luckily I had a health care provider who just happened to be an M.D. truly focused on overall health, not treating just symptoms as is typical in our Western disease care model. His wise counsel assisted me in navigating my healing crisis.
Processed foods, sugary foods, dairy and/or grains often cause inflammation within the body. This process can be insidious and often unrecognized. One believes that is how one's body feels eating the "American diet" and thinks that it is normal. Viewing food as medicine changes our outlook on what we ingest. Our bodies give us the feedback. I believe it is helpful for each of us, BrainFog or no, to trust our bodies and to listen to its feedback.
Food cravings can emerge with detoxification of the inflamed body, some of which are from nutrient deficiencies:
- sugar, including alcoholic drinks, or "carbs" can signal protein deficiencies
- chocolate, low magnesium levels
- French fries or potatoes chips, healthy fats
- salty processed snacks, necessary minerals
- eating hurriedly
- not chewing food thoroughly
- grabbing what is close by to eat and/or quick and easy to prepare
- eating in front of the TV or while driving or reading or any other distractions that focuse our attention off nurturing our bodies with wholesome and healthy life giving food
Breaking habits learned early in life and conscientiously addressing genetic influences takes not only commitment but courage. The pay off is a chance to awaken and see clearly. We have been provided, transient as it may be, a body which is a temple of sorts. Altering what we eat can become a delight and clear thinking is just one of the many benefits. Eating toxin free food (organic, biodynamic or however one wants to identify clean, real and nutrient dense food, primarily seasonal and locally grown) is the foundation, to my way of thinking, of food as medicine.Whether you are canine or human, rotation of foods is crucial to a body humming along. This can be accomplished by eating seasonally and locally produced foods, as much as possible.
For those of us who are experiencing or have experienced BrainFog, we can view this as an opportunity to change what we eat or drink, and to evolve as a human BEing by fully inhabiting our body, the physical temple with which we have been blessed in this life time. One can view food as medicine supporting one's awakening to a brighter, more vibrant life . . . simple not easy!
And during the ups and downs of this arduous process life long process of mindfully caring for our body, a sacred temple, "which is not really funny", may we
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